The Witches Digest

There are numerous ways of working practical magic in Wicca, some highly ritualised and complicated, others very simple. Probably one of the most popular in the craft today is cord magic, not least because it is a very powerful method of working in a coven environment, but also it is easily adapted for use by the lone spell worker.

The cord as a magical tool certainly has its own characteristics and symbolism, it is particularly suitable for spells that involve for example binding and/or grounding; and certainly they generate an energy of their own, and are particularly useful for spells where other forms of magic may be inappropriate such as banishing spells. In the binding of the initiate in the first-degree initiation, the cords represent the restriction of the womb before the candidate is symbolically reborn, furthermore the blindfold represents the darkness therein. Powerful symbolism indeed!

In my parent coven, the main method of working cord magic was that after the power had been raised and everyone had fallen to the ground to welcome it and show respect, the assembled coven would then sit around the perimeter of the circle man/woman alternately as far as possible. Each brother or sister present would then name the petition. This would continue, with the invocation being repeated over and over again, faster and faster until the High Priestess decided that enough power had been raised, and all would release their end of the cord so that the cords would then collapse in a bundle in the centre of the circle whilst the coven concentrated on the power being discharged into the astral sphere and the universe. The cords were then gathered up and placed on the altar with the knots still intact; these were not undone until just before the next circle.

One advantage of this type of cord magic is that it is easily adapted for use by the solitary practitioner, with this mode the lone worker simply holds the cord at each end in each hand and ties the knots him/herself, but the method is essentially the same; the knots being tied not just as an aid to concentration, but to represent the accumulated power summoned and gathered together. The other main method of cord magic is by the use of the so-called Witches’ Ladder, more of which later.

Another variation of cord working in a coven context was that sometimes the High Priestess may lie beneath the wheel of cords as the coven worked, with the hub of the cords wrapped round her athame which then acted as a sort of lightning conductor. The will of the High Priestess then directed the power raised, amplified by the efforts of the rest of the group. This style of working however should only be attempted by an experienced coven as there can be side effects; indeed headaches, nausea, dizziness and extreme fatigue have all been reported, presumably the result of the energy not being directed properly or by a psychic overload of the mental, psychic and etheric bodies. Clearly a very experienced High Priestess is required as well as a skilled coven working completely in tune psychically with one another and in perfect harmony. Great care must be taken to ensure that the power is directed accurately and that no “residue” as it were remains.

Cords may also be used in the celebration of the Sabbats, where the coven may again gather around the perimeter of the circle; man-to-woman, with a witch of the opposite sex holding each end of the cord. Here the spokes created by the cords represent the wheel of the year. If the coven then performs a ritual or spiral dance, the symbolism of the working is further amplified. This form of sympathetic cord magic I feel is particularly potent at the solar festivals, i.e. the equinoxes and the solstices. I have even seen the cords released at the conclusion of the raising of the power so that the cords then fell into the burning cauldron on a bonfire. This was at Yule, and obviously the sacrificed cords represented the death of the Sun at this time of year. A new set off cords were then produced to represent his simultaneous rebirth during the remainder of the ceremony.

To return to the Solitary Practitioner; there is a very old method of cord working known as the “Witches’ Ladder” (mentioned earlier). The traditional length of cord for this mode of working is 18 inches, however any multiple of 3 may be used. Similarly any colour of cord may be employed, although red, white, or blue is traditional. Gold, however is a good general purpose colour. To begin, sit quiet in a contemplative / meditative state of mind. You must then visualise very strongly the end result of what you are trying to achieve. (First class visualisation and concentration skills are an absolute must for any practitioner of the craft or any magical discipline at all for that matter.)
Next, take the cord in hand and recite a rune, preferably self-composed, as this will have more power and meaning to the spell worker.

A typical example would be something like:
“By the knot of one, the spell’s begun…
by the knot of two, it cometh true…
by the knot of three, my will shall be…
by the knot of four, the power is more…
by the knot of five, my spell’s alive…
by the knot of six, the energies mix…
by the knot of seven, the stars of heaven…
by the spell of eight, the power of fate…
by the power of nine, the (name object of spell) is mine!”

The first knot is tied in the centre of the cord, the next two are tied in the left and right ends respectively with the remaining knots tied in between, on the left and right sides of the centre knot alternately. This method of working is therefore very similar to the mode of solo cord magic previously described, the chief difference being that more knots are used and in a specific pattern , and there is greater emphasis on a verbal spell recited in conjunction with it.
Having completed the knots, the operator then concentrates hard on the object to be accomplished before letting the cords go, again imagining the power dispersing in all directions into the universe, charged and ready to bring about the desired result.
Once the ladder spell is completed you may either put the cord safe if you intend to use it again or return it to the elements by burning it, burying it, throwing it into running water in the same direction that the water is flowing or abandoning it on a hilltop or other high place. This should be done after one full lunar phase.

If the spell is successful before the end of the lunar month, you may undo the knots within the circle, say a prayer of thanks to the gods and pass the cords through the elements once again to neutralise the cord so that it is ready to be used again.

If however the spell has not produced a result, undo one knot each day for nine days, again concentrating on your intent coming to pass. Sailors are believed to have used a spell similar to the Witches’ Ladder many years ago to try and raise winds of sufficient force and correct direction to aid their journey. Cord magic may even be one of the oldest forms of magic to be practiced at all; it seems that prehistoric man may have used a form of sympathetic magic to bind clay models of animals, thus symbolising them being ensnared in traps. Legend has it that a form of Witches’ Ladder was used by wives to inflict impotence on faithless husbands. But one of the first recorded historical accounts of cord magic is from Burchard, Bishop of Worms in the Rhineland of Germany who observed peasants placing knotted ropes in the branches of trees in order to divert harmful influences away from their cattle.

To return to the modern craft, however, many covens keep several sets of cords for practical magic purposes; some kabbalistically inclined groups keep cords corresponding to the ten sephiroth of the Tree of Life for use in appropriate invocations. Furthermore binding parts of the body with cords restricts blood flow and alters consciousness which can lead to the opening of the third eye for clairvoyance and possibly even astral projection. Great care must be taken however for if the binding is too tight physical damage can occur.

Some witches wear a cord around the waist during coven meetings with the colour then denoting rank within the craft; e.g. white for first-degree; red for second-degree and blue for third-degree. Although there are reasons for each colour being assigned to a particular degree it would not be appropriate for me to reveal them here.

Cord magic can then be seen to be a simple and yet highly effective form of magic and indeed meditation on the cords in relation to colour can provide much food for thought and insight. The cord also links matter to spirit, the material world to the realm of the gods, and it binds not just the material base of the craft but the four elements and the four points of the compass.

Peter Nash is the last “first-line”
Alexandrian - i.e. he was the last person trained by Alex Sanders in the
early 80’s

Peter will be speaking at the Mercian gathering in September.  He is also a
long standing member of the Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids and is involved actively with his local Pagan Federation.

The Witches Digest would like to offer our sincere thanks to Peter for contributing to this issue, and we look forward to hearing from him again in the future.

From the Witches Digest Imbolc 2008

Technorati Tags: cod magic, cord magick, pagan magazine, wicca article, wicca magic, witches digest

Earth Day is a global event celebrated on the 22^nd April, with the purpose of raising awareness and appreciation for the Earth, its goal is to create a healthy, sustainable environment.  Earth Day is the brain child of US Senator Gaylord Nelson.

Born in 1916, in Clear Lake Wisonsin, Gaylord Nelson was the son of a country doctor.  He began his political career in 1948 after serving in the Armed Forces during World War II – prior to this he studied Law at University.  In 1958 Nelson became Governor of Wisconsin, in this capacity he created the Outdoor Recreation Acquisition Program.  In 1962 he was elected to the senate where he served for 18 years.  Senator Nelson was involved in several key pieces of environmental legislation including the Environmental Protection Act and both the Clean Air, and Clean Water Acts.

Inspired by an anti-Viatnam war protest called a ‘teach-in’ he attended, the idea for Earth Day was born. 
“Why not organise a huge grassroots demonstration – a teach-in – that would focus on what was happening to our environment”  The first Earth Day was held on 22^nd April in 1970, over 20 million Americans participated. 
Today, Earth Day is celebrated by over half a billion people, in 175 countries.

There are several reasons that Earth Day has become so popular, at its core is the fact that the event is a mix of grassroots activism, volunteerism plus the festival atmosphere.  Governments are taking more measures to care for the environment, and businesses have learned that they can save money by reducing waste and their carbon footprints.  Todd Spinks, Director of Sustainability at the University of North Texas said “Today’s green movement enjoys unprecedented popularity and power… because people are taking a more comprehensive approach to sustainability than they did in the 70s and 80s – and people are realising that being green can save money!”

Earth Day has become a focal point for people and organisations who share similar values and goals to come together and fight for their cause.  Campaigns include the fight against oil spills, pollution, raw sewage, toxic dumps and the extinction of wildlife.  Historically, Earth Day has had different focal points each year – in 1970 the focus was on How to Create a Sustainable Environment, 1990 – Recycling, 2000 – Global Warming and Clean Energy. Today the focus is on Thinking Globally and Acting Locally.

Earth Day is a time when both organisations and individuals can come together to work for a common goal.
Disney’s new film ‘Earth’, the WWF Time For Change campaign and GreenPeace’s Inspiring Action campaign all centre around Earth Day.  Individuals can enjoy speeches, concerts, picnics, clean-up operations, local campaigning, cycling, kite flying, clean energy demonstrations, planting trees and trash-a-thons as well as many other community projects.

Margaret Mead, a respected cultural anthropologist once said “Earth Day is the first holy day which transcends all national borders, yet preserves all geographical integrities, spans mountains and oceans and time belts, and yet brings people all over the world into one resonating accord, is devoted to the preservation of the harmony in nature and yet draws upon the triumphs of technology, the measurement of time, and instantaneous communication through space” 

Critics argue that the Earth Day celebration trivialises the issues and waters down the message.  One internet blogger noted “Too many part-time greenies treat Earth Day as a panacea, once a year they can ‘do their part’ to save the planet.  It’s a salve they apply to themselves to feel better about a year of unsustainable living.”

For many Pagans, Earth Day is simply Every Day – but for those new to the path, it can be a great starting point. 
Earth Day gives the general population the chance to appreciate the planet, what it gives us – and what we need to give back.

There are plenty of activities that we can participate in to both create a sustainable environment and respect Mother Earth.

·          Invest in cloth or jute shopping bags

·          Use energy saving light bulbs

·          Eat organic – if this however is too expensive, then look at growing your own food in a garden or container

·          Recycle, recycle, recycle

·          Compost uncooked leftovers and peelings

·          Get your morning coffee in a re-usable cup

·          Volunteer your time for a worthy cause

·          Attend a festival to meet like-minded people

·          Use public transport or walk

·          Use eco-friendly household products

·          Plant a tree

·          Have a zero-carbon day with the family

·          Pick up litter from beaches, woods and parks

·          Look up your local Pagan group, you can be sure that they will have plans for Earth Day too – the Pagan Federation London is holding a grand gathering in the Queen’s Woods, and Brighton Beach will be a lot cleaner thanks to the South East Pagans.

·          Join the Earth Day Network – which promotes environmental citizenship and year-round progressive action worldwide.

For many Pagans, Earth Day is a time where we can share our outlook and conviction with the rest of the world, however we must recognise that honouring the Earth is a daily commitment and one that we should undertake with respect.

© Dawn Gribble 2009

Technorati Tags: earth day, earthday, paganism

This is an introduction to the symbolism of magical tools and how they are used.  
Please note that ideas may vary depending on tradition, this article is intended as a guide only.

The Pentacle

The Pentacle is a flat board or circle that is usually inscribed with a pentagram (a five-pointed star), though they may also have many other symbols upon them.

This tool acts like a platform upon which many other acts are often performed –especially consecrations. It is symbolic of the Element of Earth, not only as the general Element, but also as the planet Earth itself and on a larger scale it can even be used as a symbol of the universe. It is generally placed in the centre of the altar, and magical workings are performed on top of it. It can also be used in meditations. The Pentacle is often used in ceremonial magic as it blocks evil very effectively.

It’s direction is North and it’s energy is Female.

In the upward direction it is used for Protection, Blessing, Consecration, Meditation and Positive energy. In the downward direction it is used for Banishing and Binding.

The five points of the pentacle can be used to represent several things:

Five Senses
Human Body
Love, Wisdom, Power, Knowledge and Law
Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit

In Tarot, the pentacle symbolises political action and intrigue.

Bell

Bells are used to banish negative energy and evil spirits, they are also used to mark the beginning and end or a ritual or ceremony. It is a tool of the element of air and spirit, the sound represents the creative power of the universe. Bells can also be used in invocations, chants and meditation techniques.

Athame

An athame is a ceremonial knife used in Traditional Witchcraft and other pagan beliefs for various rituals. A black-handled knife called an arthame appears in the Key of Solomon. The athame is an important ritual tool but is not used for physical cutting.

The athame’s primary use is for ritual and magical purposes only, to direct energy; if things such as herbs or cords need to be cut, another knife called a boline - a white-handled knife -is used. An exception is the “kitchen witchcraft” philosophy, which encourages the everyday use of magical tools to increase the witch’s familiarity with them.

Gender:Masculine 
Direction: East 
Element: Fire/Air 
Uses: Mixing solutions and potions, charging and consecrating amulets and talismans. Opening and closing magic circles.
Additional Information: Also known as the right handed knife. Athames must be consecrated or purified before use.

Bags and Pouches

Bags and pouches are an important magical tool as they have many uses. You can use them to carry tools safely; or keep tarot decks and crystals protected from negative vibrations and damage; create a Mojo bag; stuff with herbs to make a sachet charm or dream pillow.

Storing a tarot deck in a special place helps the reader to appreciate the significance of her cards. It builds an atmosphere of respect for the tarot reading. It is also believed that care placed in storage practices keeps the cards from absorbing negative energy. A popular storage option is a dark coloured fabric bag. Some people wrap their cards in a cloth before they place the cards in the bag.

Mojo bags (also known as a gris-gris or conjure bag) usually contains a mix of herbs, powders, personal items such as a hair or fingernail clippings, sometimes a coin or dice, a lodestone, a petition paper or prayer, and other objects thought to promote supernatural action or protection.

Herbal sachets are small fabric bags filled with herbs intended to achieve a particular magical goal. They are popular for protection and attracting positive influences into your life such as love, psychic ability, prosperity and the like. Sachets are constructed with appropriate correspondences for the magical intent they are being created to achieve. These correspondences include the time and day they are made, the colour of the cloth used, and the herbs and other items often including crystals which are enclosed in the pouch.

Making dream pillows are an excellent way to make your subconscious mind work with you on problem-solving, divination, etc. Dream pillows will also help when you are troubled by nightmares. For hundreds of years people have used herb mixtures to affect their dreams. In the same way that certain fragrances (like fresh coffee or cut grass) evoke a pleasant memory for you, herbs also evoke pleasant associations of memory.

Book of Shadows

A Book of Shadows is a blank book where witches write down information useful to their craft. It is considered a sacred tool, which means it is an item of power that should be consecrated with all of your other magical tools. Copy spells and rituals into your Book of Shadows by hand – this will not only transfer energy but will also help you memorise the content.

Typically a Book of Shadows will be used to store information on Spells, Rituals, Magical Correspondences, Gods and Goddesses, Festivals, Recipes, Charts, Sketches, Recordings of Magical Workings etc.

Tips:
1. If you find a rite, spell or piece of information somewhere else, be sure to note down the source. It will help you keep organized, and you’ll start to recognize patterns in authors’ works. 
2. Add a section that includes books you’ve read, as well as what you thought of them. This way, when you get a chance to share information with others, you’ll remember what you’ve read.

Boxes

It is important to keep your magical tools in good condition. Boxes offer physical protection from damage, and keep your items clean. By respecting your magical items you will have greater affinity with them, and their powers will be more in harmony with your own. On a metaphysical level, boxes prevent negative energies from affecting your tools.

Boxes can also be used as an integral part of any magical working. In general, a spell box is filled with power items necessary to achieve a goal, although you should follow directions given for specific spells. It may be a cumulative spell done in increments: items are gathered one by one and added to enhance the power oft he box. Sometimes a special box lends itself to a magical or spiritual goal. The box itself can become an intrinsic part of the spell. Some ideas for use include: Attach and incorporate the power items to the box itself, such as charms, beads, shells and feathers; Paint images on the outside or inside of the box to correspond with the spells goals; Embellish with sigils or other symbols using magic ink, henna or other natural dyes.

Broom/Besom

The besom’s components are of both masculine and feminine orientation. The handle, a stave, is masculine in nature while the bristles are feminine. The besom is an important part of hand-fasting ceremonies in some traditions. The couple jumps over the besom during the ceremony as a fertility rite.

Uses include:symbolic and physical cleansing, sweeping away negative vibrations, expelling evil spirits, defining boundaries and purification. Brooms should always be looked after to keep from losing good fortune. It is traditional to keep a broom either by or above the front door, to protect hearth and home from negative energy The broom is sacred to the Goddess Hecate, it’s element is Water.

Candles

Candle Magic has been around for many, many years, being traced as far back as the Palaeolithic era. It is a very powerful form of sympathetic magic. 
There are many factors that play into the art of candle magic. Keep in mind that some candle magic has to be repeated over a period of days. Therefore, you will want to place them in an area that will not be disturbed. Do not choose a place where there is a tv, radio noise or disturbances of any kind. Keep in mind to not put candles near curtains and such, as you would not want to burn your house down. Candle magic should always be performed in a low traffic area.

Any type of candle can be used for candle magic as long as it has been cleansed and consecrated prior to use. Cleansing removes any negative energies that the candle has picked up along the way. As with all supplies you want your candles to be as free of psychic debris as possible.

The candles you use for any type of magical use should be unused. Under no circumstances use a candle which has already adorned a dinner table or been used as a bedroom candle or night-light. Vibrations picked up by second-hand materials or equipment may disturb your workings and negate their effectiveness.

Once you have purchased or made your ritual candle it has to be oiled or ‘dressed’ before burning. The purpose of dressing the candle is to establish a psychic link between it and the magician through a primal sensory experience. By physically touching the candle during the dressing procedure, you are charging it with your own personal vibrations and also concentrating the desire of your magical act into the wax.

The Cauldron

The cauldron or pot symbolizes cyclical time and the lunar calendar, it is the repository of inspiration and magick.

In contemporary Witchcraft, the cauldron is an important magical tool that symbolically combines the influences of the ancient elements of air, fire, water, and earth. Its shape is representative of Mother Nature, and the three legs upon which it stands correspond to the three aspects of the Triple Goddess, the three lunar phases (waxing, full, and waning), and to three as a magical number. Additionally, the cauldron is a symbol of transformation (both physical and spiritual), enlightenment, wisdom, the womb of the Mother Goddess, and rebirth.

Since early times, cauldrons have been used not only for boiling water and cooking food, but for heating up magical brews, poisons, and healing potions. They have also been utilized by alchemists and by Witches as tools of divination, containers for sacred fires and incense, and holy vessels for offerings to the gods of old.

The Chalice

The Element of Water is represented through the use of the Chalice, which is a ceremonial drinking vessel. The Chalice is used to take drinks during rituals and at the culmination of ritual work. In some paths it is also used to toast the Gods.

This tool also represents the universal feminine or the womb, especially when combined with the Athamé during the symbolic Great Rite. However, in Asatru the chalice is used as a drinking horn for holding sacred mead.

Chalices are used for:

* Mixing salt and water
* Mixing potions
* Invoking the power of the Moon
* Conjuring emotions
* Presenting offerings and pouring libations
* Drinking ritual wine
* Create bonds between coven members
* Proposing toasts

 © Dawn Gribble 2008
From the Witches Digest Samhain 2008

Technorati Tags: magickal tools, pagan tools, wicca tools, witchcraft tools

Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren’t go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl’s feather!

William Allingham (1824-1889)

Do you ever wonder where the folklore of the little people came from?

Much credit can be handed to Tolkien’s Bilbo and Frodo, in their quest for the ring of all rings. An avalanche of fantasy novelists all jumped on the train and a new genre in literature was born - some better than others - though every cook praises his own broth.

Since the invention of computers and later, the internet, a huge entertainment market has seen the light and is ever more increasing. Fantasy games are extremely popular and addictive – for example, according to BBC online, a company like Blizzard Entertainment sells 300 copies of World of Warcraft a day – where anyone can be a hero, either being an elf, dwarf or orc. No doubt, us darkly inclined have got a fantasy or gothic inspired game at home, or at least you have tried it!

The Shining

But where do these mythical beings, mentioned above, originate from?

If we start with the etymological origin of the word ‘elf‘, we discover a lot. The Old English ‘Aelf’ comes from Teutonic or Saxon roots (Wikipedia, 2008) and defined them as almost “divine creatures”, who “were brighter than the sun and symbolised fertility and the cult of eternal life”. Tolkien was well aware of Norse mythology, with its variations of Scandinavian and Germanic folklore. The wizard Gandalf, is actually the name of an old Norse king, according to the saga Heimskringsla, written in the 12^th century.

But let’s look further into history than mediaeval folklore. According to geologists Christian and Barbara Joy O’Brien (1999), the old word El was used in old Mesopotamia to indicate a god or higher being, and actually meant ’shining’  in the Sumerian language. This word spread along Europe and became ‘Ellyl’ in Wales, ‘Aillil’ in Ireland, ‘Aelf ‘ in Saxon and ‘Elf ‘ in England. The plural of ‘el’ in Hebrew, is ‘Ellohim’, mentioned in the Bible to refer to the gods. El was later on used as a suffix, and in Celtic Cornwall ‘el’ was equal to the Anglo-Saxon ‘engel’ and the Old-French ‘angele‘, which became ‘angel‘ in English (Gardner, 2000). According to the Catholic Church, angels were to be considered as God’s messengers and pictured as beings floating in air and shining.

People from the gods

From elves and angels to faeries, is just a small step. Here we face another mythological creature with supernatural capabilities, such as flying and shimmering, but in other versions the pranksters  and baby thieves. Tinkerbell from “Peter Pan” being the most famous example. The word faerie (faery, fey, fée), is originally Old-French with its roots in Latin: ‘fata‘ or faith, and became ‘fey‘ in Old-English, around 1400 AD. In the Celtic world, faeries and elves are most associated with the royal family, Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of people who arrived or invaded Ireland somewhere around 2000 BC. Their fate or destiny didn’t survive the conversion to Christianity, though much of their history has been preserved by medieval Irish literature. Which brings us to the core of folklore and mythology: history rewritten and altered by those who feared it.

Thuatha Dé Danann, means: ‘People of the Goddess Danu’. It is well known that the Church didn’t much appreciate goddesses, so who was this ‘Danu’? Some versions refer to the ancient Greek agricultural goddess Danaë of Argos, but if we use etymology again, we notice certain geographical and historical parallels. Based on place names such as the rivers Danube, Dnjepr and Don, we can assume these mother rivers were worshipped throughout the Celtic world.

Medieval Christian scholars are known for their bad eyesight, so what if it was spelled Tuadhe d’Anu in its oldest form; meaning: ‘People of Anu’? In Sumerian writings - and later for Assyrians and Babylonians (present Iraq and Iran) - ‘An’ meant heaven and the gods were called ‘Anunnaki‘;  deities belonging to the Sumerian and Akkadian pantheon. Anu was a goddess, or the female equivalent of the god An. It is from this pantheon that the Israelites extracted their one male God, Yahweh, during their captivity in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar (c.586-536 BC), as described in the book Genesis.  Whilst the Hebrews primarily worshipped the female deity Ashtoreth – or Ishtar –, they adapted and absorbed the Babylonian religion, and created their one supreme God by conjoining deities into what would become Judaïsm (Gardner, 1996).

So where is the link with faeries and elves and the Tuadhe d’Anu? Mythology is written down for a reason and has its roots in real life events and experiences. Fact is, these Anunnaki – or ’shining ones’ – are the subject of the very first scribes, but who they really were and if they truly possessed magical powers, is an open question. Around 2000 BC, the cult of the Anunnaki seems to come to an end when Mesopotamia is invaded by unknown strangers, from the East, West and North (Wood, 1992).

Impressive looks

North of present Iraq is The Black Sea, in which the river Danube emerges. From Eastern Europe and Eurasia to the Ukraine and the Russian Steppes, adjacent to China, a horse-riding nomadic people, the Scythians, dominated this enormous area from around 1000 BC until the 2^nd century AD. Would these have been those strangers?

Excavations have learned that these people wore tight trousers made of leather and high boots, long sleeved shirts of wool and most of all, pointed caps. Many figures in folklore are pictured with pointed caps;  leprechauns, gnomes, pixies and elves. This Scythian homeland of the Thuadhe d’Anu, reached the borders of Hungary and Romania, where they mixed with the Sarmatians (the story of King Arthur has many versions; in the 2004 Antoine Fuqua movie, Arthur is said to be of Sarmatian origin).

Animal bone studies  have shown that Scythian riding horses were being traded in Europe (Taylor, 1994), so these people – or part of them – must have emigrated from other parts of the ancient world. Even more astonishing, is that, well preserved mummified bodies were found in 1994, south of the Himalayas. The mummies had a light coloured skin, brown hair and light coloured eyes and were of extreme height; almost 2 metres tall -  the female bodies, also reached a height of 1.80 metres. Again, pointed caps were found and the woven clothing indicates plaid pattern (Gardner, 2000).

Which brings us to the Celts (Keltoi or ’stranger’ in Greek), a race of people that originated during the shift of iron to bronze age, on the borders of eastern Europe, the Balkans and Caucasus. Greek and Roman writers characterised the Celts as “tall, with a pale skin and blond or red hair”. They wore tunics and capes with tartan motifs and patrons (Haywood, 2004). Haywood also asserts that their appearance was frightening as they were able to drive away their enemies.

All creatures great and small

Hence, when these Tuadhe d’Anu established themselves in Ireland – in mythology around 1897 BC, though more likely around 700 BC (Gardner, 2000) - they brought along a superior tradition and culture  and became known as the ‘Sidhé‘: a powerful, supernatural race. Albeit, their looks and appearance must have made an enormous impression on the locals. In Gaelic, they were referred to as the ‘Dhaoine sidhé‘ or,  ‘people of peace‘.

After the loss in battle against the Milesians (an indigenous people of Ireland, descendants of the Scythian King, Mil), the Tuadhe d’Anu agreed to retreat and dwell on the sidhé; the hills and mounds of Ireland. Every king of each tribe was given one mound and it is believed these are the ancestors of the Irish king Eire Ahmon, whose name became the title of Ireland. A ‘banshee’ – or ‘Behn Sidhé‘ – was a woman of the tribe, announcing an oncoming death by wailing and keening.

People with the same Scythian background were the ‘Pict Sidhé’, or the warlords of the Fir Bolg. The Fir Bolg were a Celtic tribe related to the Belgae (the shining ones), where Bel or Belo (the Celtic god), means “bright”. Often, Fir Bolg is translated as  “the men with bags” (Fir = men; Bolg = bag), since they carried little bags or humps on their back, possibly with gold from mining. Much later, their warlord history would be minimised and they would be known as pixies or leprechauns.

These lords of the wood, were priest kings or druids. The word ‘druid’ was a Proto-Celtic word for ‘witch’ (feminine) or ‘wicca’ (masculine), which meant: to bow for, or surrender to. These druids bowed before the Sidhé until, after defeat, they left Ireland and chose to rule Caledonia instead, where they became the Fir Alban (men of Scotland).

When the lights fade

Alas, ancient Irish history has only been written in early medieval days, when Christianity was powerful enough to ban The Shining Ones into mythology.

The Tuadhe d’Anu were banished into the underworld (spirits of the dead and changelings), dwelling in underground chambers of their burial mounds, in a realm of shadows. Fairies were evil, casting spells and substituting babies, and amulets were made to avert them. Banshees were identified with vampirism. In Scotland, it was a common belief to place a bowl of water outside the house, so the vampire would drink this, instead of blood.

The Pict Sidhé became the little people or leprechauns, (from the Irish word ‘luchorpan’, meaning “little body”), and were destined to be cobblers or tanners. As leather was a favoured material with Scythian warriors (Gardner, 2000). In less friendly versions, they were equal to goblins, gnomes, ogres or sylphs, all related to the Devil’s work (Wikipedia, 2008).

Whatever mythical power or knowledge the original Scythian elves, faeries and dwarves possessed, their legacy has been kept alive throughout myths, folklore and legends. Thanks to modern day fantasy literature, roll-playing games, the internet and the movie industry, they are more popular than ever. The culture of myths and legends, the elves, faeries and the little people, comes from a Middle Earth, not far away in the Otherworld, but from our own inheritance.

References :

Joy O’Brien, Christian and Barbara, The Genius of the Few, Dianthus, Cirencester, 1999.

Gardner, Laurence, Realm of the Ringlords : The Ancient Legacy of the Ring and the Grail, Tirion Uitgevers BV, AH Baarn, 2000.

Gardner, Laurence, Bloodline of the Holy Grail, HarperCollinsPublishers, London,1996.

Wood, Michael, Legacy: A search for the Origins of Civilization, BBC Network Books, London, 1992.

Taylor, Timothy, Thracians, Scythians and Dacians 800 BC – AD 300, The Oxford Illustrated Prehistory of Europe, Oxford University Press, 1994.

Haywood, John, The Celts: Bronze Age to New Age, Pearson Education Limited, Harlow, Essex, 2004.

Witches Digest would like to thank Bart from Realm of Shadows for this article.

Realm of Shadows
13 Rodgers Close
Westhoughton
Bolton
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 From the Witches Digest Mabon 2008

Technorati Tags: faeries, legends, myths, pagan, Tuadhe d'Anu, wicca

In the Shamanic view of the world, all things are inter-connected in a web of beginnings, everything affects everything else. The Shamanic way is the way to honour all kingdoms mineral, plant, animal and human, to honour the four elements earth, air, fire and water, to honour and develop the four aspects of ourselves, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. With the celebrations of the seasons we attune ourselves to the flow of the Wyrd the energy of life.

The maintenance of one’s personal power is fundamental to well-being. The Shaman must stay centred and balanced this is achieved by remaining rooted in personal connection to the earth, from this earth connection the Shaman is then able to reach into the spirit realms. In this way, the Shaman becomes a channel between the energies of the earth, nature and the energies of the spirit world.

In engaging in the Shamanic practice the Shaman must move between what is termed the ordinary state of consciousness and the Shamanic state of consciousness. It is in the Shamanic state of consciousness that the Shaman contacts ones spirit guides and helpers.

We are all connected to a sea of energy— the Wyrd, a sea of universal potentiality it contains everything that ever was and everything that shall ever be. How we interact with this sea depends upon our individual perceptions of it and this then becomes our own individualized game of life. 

I use the analogy that we are all in a game of life, on one side we have the sea of universal potentiality that has unlimited potential and possibilities, wealth, poverty, great relationships, happiness, basically everything that is possible, everything that anyone at any moment in time has experienced, or anyone in the future will experience.

On the other side we have what we experience in our own world of preconceived ideas and beliefs about who and what life is about. How much you experience and what we experience is determined only by the extent we allow ourselves to expand and move into the sea of universal potentiality and possibilities. The overlap where we meet ultimate potential and possibilities is our own unique game of life. This represents where we are now.

Einstein said “We are boxed in by the boundary conditions of our thinking” This means that our individual life experiences are limited only by the boundary of our own thinking, over which we don’t let ourselves go. An invisible wall limits what we experience through habitual limiting beliefs and thought patterns.

Most western Orthodox philosophies and religions have an hierarchical belief system based on the idea that we all born with all original sin and our judgment cannot be trusted.  we are all separate from God the Creator call it what you will he is outside somewhere up in heaven and that only a select few have the privilege of being able to contact God directly personal on a one-to-one. You would have to be somehow special divine and chosen. However if we’re lucky enough and God has seen that during our mortal lives we have prayed and given a sufficient amount of penance to him when we die we might be fortunate enough to go to heaven.

From a shamanic perspective we see things slightly differently.  This idea of God the Creator being somewhere outside of us in heaven looking down dispensing his graces as and where he sees fit is a untruth created by the ego.  The primary function of the ego is to protect the physical body and through time it has been pulled out of perspective and unbalanced it has developed into that inner ego which says that I must have this I must have that before it all gone there’s not enough to go around and I must get it before anyone else. (The clue is in its name ego Earth Guide Only).

As a shaman we know that we are more than just a physical body, we are in fact multidimensional and that the very essence of what we are is spirit a holographic pinprick of the Creator, which we are all part of and that we exist in a sea of energy connecting us with all things. We are in fact are not physical beings trying to attain a spiritual experience but in fact spiritual beings having a human physical experience.

When I was younger I at times felt out of place and out of time with those around me. I knew I had something to give something special to share with people. The frustrating thing was I had read all the books on all the various way to improve myself only to find that I had awaken the giant within and he was just as pissed off as I was with my life which didn’t help any. So I had to revaluate my approach to what I was doing. You see I found that I had to be true to myself to my own higher nature.

Knowing that we are all multi - dimensional beings having a mind, body, and spirit I found that when we align our consciousness with our higher nature we instinctively begin to live our lives on purpose, for example if you know how to swim and someone picks you up and drops you in a swimming pool you automatically begin to swim, you don’t think about it, it just happens because it’s in your nature.

Your brain works like a computer. If we go onto the World Wide Web and ask Google to search for say wealth, within seconds you receive all the possible matches for that criteria. All the millions of other pages of information are left out. You only pull out what you are looking for. The search engine translates your request and delivers possible solutions to you based on your request.

Your nervous system works in the same way. We are constantly being bombarded by approximately 2,000,000 bits of information per second via the input channels of our five senses. If we were instantly aware of this external information all at once, we would go insane. Your nervous system is designed to cut this massive amount of information down to a manageable size, out of the 2,000,000 bits of information; we actually consciously only process about 134 bits.

Imagine that you live in a dark room and all you have is a torch, which represents your conscious 134 bits per second of information. As we are being bombarded by 2,000,000 bits of information per second we are deleting an incredible amount of information. All possibilities exist in this room. There is wealth, poverty, happiness great relationships, disease, health, vitality etc. What becomes your reality of life is where you choose to shine your light or what you choose to focus on.

In quantum physics it is suggested that objective reality does not exist, the apparent solidity of our universe is a gigantic holographic illusion.  The interesting thing about a hologram is that if you cut a hologram into pieces each piece of the hologram would contain the entire image; therefore, the whole is in every part.

Scientists have decided that the universe is made up of particles, at some deeper level of reality; such particles are not individual entities but are actually extensions of the same fundamental whole, a kind of quantum energy field of pure possibility where everything is somehow connected.
According to quantum theorists, the atoms of which all things are made up of are 99.99 percent composed of the void and emptiness of space; therefore if we could see ourselves under a high powered microscope we would see more space than solid matter.
The subatomic particles are impulses of energy and information. What gives the illusion of solidity is the density of the arrangement and their unique vibratory rate. If the physical world is but a secondary reality and what we are experiencing is actually a holographic blur of energies, and if our brain is also a hologram and only selects some of these frequencies, to transform them into sensory perceptions, what becomes objective reality is based upon your own personal beliefs values conditioning through your individual lives experience.

Our internal filters of our own individual psychology are a unique system that perceives the external world that governs our life, which determine what we focus on. All this is usually done on an unconscious level in fact approximately 90 percent of all that determines our focus are made at the unconscious level. These internal rules are largely based on unconscious behaviours and personal experiences that have affected our perspective on life. These experiences cause us to draw conclusions about what we can or can’t do. The ironic thing is that most of us don’t even know what our internal rules are! However because we are the ones who created this internal rule system that governs our life, we are the ones who can rewrite it to support ourselves moving toward a future that fulfils and inspires.

As a Shaman we become consciously aware of our spiritual growth and through practice we develop awareness of our several subtle energy bodies which come into play when we reach certain levels of spiritual awareness.

The physical body

Man is a far more complex being than is generally imagined. He has not only a body, a soul, but a spirit possessing a soul. The real self is pure spirit - a spark of the divine. body is the most apparent.   Of all the seven planes of man, the physical is the crudest manifestation of all.        

The physical body is built up of cells, each containing within it a miniature spark of life, which controls its action. Each atom is a living thing, leading its own independent life. These atoms combine into groups for some purposes, and groups form bodies. When death comes to the physical body the cells separate and scatters, and decay sets in. The force which had held them together is withdrawn and is free to go its own way and form new combinations.

The etheric body

The etheric body is composed of a finer subtle substance than the physical body and is vibrating at a frequency that is out of the range of our normal sight.  The etheric body supports and energises the physical body by supplying the subtle energies they need. It in turn is sustained by energies released by food, by breath energy which also vitalises higher bodies and by light which energises higher and highest bodies. The etheric body integrates the individual into the energy field of the earth.

The emotional body

The emotional body is a vehicle that enables us to experience emotions, desire, love, joy, feelings of elation as well as ones of discomfort. This vehicle is more mobile than the physical or etheric bodies, as it is able to sense vibrations which the physical and etheric bodies cannot. The emotional body is able to convert thought to feelings and vice versa.

The astral body

The astral is closely connected to the physical body and is an exact replica of the latter in appearance. The astral body exists sometime after the death of the person to whom it belonged. Under certain circumstances it is visible to living persons and is called a ghost. The astral is invisible to the ordinary eye but can be seen by the trained Shaman and of course a trained and developed Shaman can project his astral body at will. Everyone astrally projects when they are asleep. It takes time and patience to consciously project.

The mind body

The mind is a mental unit. It is through the mind body that you can experience mental and intellectual communication with other people and non-human intelligent forms. The mental body is concerned with the realms of thought which is the very substance of creation. Thought is at the very essence of everything that exists before anything can manifest it exists first as thought.

The soul

The soul is usually regarded as something ambiguous, something to be believed in rather than experienced. Science cannot describe or quantify it. Theologians regard it as something spiritual that embodies your ethnical and moral qualities.  The soul is a body of light. It is this inner light energy within you and within us all that forms your soul body. Although your soul interpenetrates your physical body it is not on the same plane or dimension. Your soul, like your mind, is a non-physical aspect of your higher self, but with an entirely different function and purpose. It is not that your soul is an extension of your physical body, but that your physical body is an extension of your soul.

The spirit

You are a spirit with a physical body, with a mind, and a spirit with a soul. A complex being comprising of subtle bodies, yet when one or more of these bodies are out of synchronisation disconnection of conscious contact with the soul and spirit accrues. The spirit is the life force: The essence of being a holographic pin prick of the creator.

Each of the several principals of which we are, radiates energy, which is visible to the developed Shaman. This radiated energy is akin to x-rays. Like x-rays it is invisible to the human eye unless aided by something which the human eye does not ordinarily possess. Some of the coarse rays of the aura are visible to those with a comparatively undeveloped grade of psychic power. The higher forms become visible only as the psychic faculties are development.

Each of the finer vehicles radiate energy which combined forms what is known as the Human Aura. The aura of each principle (if other forms were removed) would occupy the same space as that filled by the aura of all or any of the other principles. In other words, the several auras of the difference bodies of vehicle interpenetrate each other, and being of different rates of vibration, do not interfere with one another.

The aura is seen as a luminous cloud, nearly oval in shape, extending some two or three feet in all directions from the body. It does not terminate abruptly, but gradually fades into faintness. It presents the appearance of a luminous cloud of constantly shifting colours, certain colours being predominant in each person, from time to time.

These colours originate from mental states; each thought, emotion or feeling is manifested by a certain shade or combination of colours belonging to that particular thought or emotion. The Shaman may read the thoughts of a person as he can read the pages of a book providing he understands what the colours mean. Reading auras is a direct way of connecting to the energy patterns in our self and in others. Auras are the energies we emit; they reflect the state of mind, the physical and spiritual make up at any given time.

It is more precise to say we sense them, because auras are the vibrations we get from people, animals, stones, plants. All things have vibrations, therefore all things have auras. In psychic divination we rely on the gift of sensing. We work to sharpen and utilise all our senses to the fullest. When we do this, we are more able to read the energies around us with greater insight. Some people divide healers and diviners into two separate categories. I find the energies slightly different, but still the same. Divination and healing work hand in hand.

Some traditions have specific meanings for all auric patterns and colours. I feel that auras are too individual to have determined patterns. However, there are some commonalties that we can use for a foundation for our intuitive interpretations. These commonalties are related to the basic ray energies, which influence and reflect the weavings of our life.

The etheric body as mentioned earlier is a bridge between the physical and non-physical planes of the shaman. Its purpose is to serve as a transformer of finer and more subtle non-physical energies. Although it cannot ordinarily be seen with the physical eyes it can be experienced through sensation, just as sensation is a means by which we experience the physical body.

The etheric body provides the physical body with access to higher-frequency energies, and in serving as a transformer, absorbs and converts these higher energies into slower frequency levels that enable them to be compatible with our physical body.

Understanding the etheric body is important because it is the means by which enlightenment becomes possible through the circulation of inner light; personal empowerment becomes enhanced through nourishment of the inner nature. We begin to see more clearly with our inner eyes.

The condition of the etheric body has a direct effect on the physical body, any intrusion, disharmony, congestion or malfunction in any area of its energy fields will manifest sooner or later in an associated part of the physical body. Similarly any ailment or injury suffered by the physical body will cause an associated leak of energy from the etheric body. 

Subtle higher energies are drawn down into the etheric body through power points, whirling vortexes arranged vertically down the spine generally known as chakras.

It does not matter whether a belief is true, right, or real. What is important is whether or not a belief that you hold produces the results you want in your life. A belief is nothing more than a generalization about the world or your ability, which then determines what behaviours and actions you allow yourself to experience.

Because we are multidimensional beings the only thing that separates us from consciously acknowledging the spirit realms is our perceptions of it.  For if the essence of us is a holographic pinprick of the Creator which is internal, then we are in fact individual expressions of that source. So the question to ask ourselves is, are my beliefs creating the behaviours and experiences that I want? Am I spending my life as a slave to my ego, or am I working as co-creator with the spirit that moves in things? When we realign our lives with the intention of spirit we get inspired and live our life automatically on purpose.

©Raymond Hill 2007
The Padmic™ System of Healing

Raymond Hill is the director of The Padmic™ System of Healing and has been initiated into the craft for years. He is an experienced practicing Shamanic life Coach, Reiki and Crystal Therapist practicing in London.
In the past he has written and given many seminars and workshops on most metaphysical subjects.  
www.thepadmicsystemofhealing.co.uk

From the Witches Digest Lammas 2008

Technorati Tags: attunement, consciousness, divine, personal experience, shaman, shamanic, spiritual, wyrd

I truly believe that I chose somewhere in the Ether to be born into an Episcopalian family.  So, I grew up practicing Christian ways like the rest of my dogmatic family.  Maybe I signed up for that tour of duty to understand contrast and what I really didn’t want out of life in this dimension.  For
whatever reason, I was submitted to servitude in the church every Sunday with the rest of my family as I heard snooze-inducing sermons from the
pulpit reigning down in sheets of hypocrisy. 
Needless to say, without grousing about too much more on the subject, the male-dominated bent wasn’t to my taste.  I got nauseated hearing about the Father/Son relationship all the time…where was the Mother/Daughter pray tell?  My Mother and Father weren’t concerned as much at the time with the religious aspects, however, as they were about whom they were impressing in their societal circle in the Reception Hall after the church service had ended.  It was only later they had personal
spiritual revelations and assumed they all had to be Christian because theirs had been.  But that’s another story. 

When I moved out on my own years later, I realized I was free to practice whatever my heart truly desired.  For me, it was HedgeCraft.  I love being solitary most of the time and I love living at the edge of a spinney; this wonderful lifestyle has suited my needs quite well.  However, I am aware that my Path can very well change, and I’m open to new adventures, too! 
Hedgewitchery is thought by many to be a
Neo-Pagan path of sorts at this point, so I jokingly referred to myself as an “EpiscoPagan” at one time.  Practicing HedgeCraft I feel is very spiritual because I can feel the interconnectedness of all things through astral projection, etc. 
Since everything is energy, it’s interesting to be able to tap into other forms vibrating at different frequencies.  Later on, I realized that I was able to manipulate some types of energy.  In the Giver arena, I’m certified in Reiki (Usui).  In the Taker arena, I could be called a Solitary Psychic
Vampyre.  They are both energy workers on both sides of the spectrum, so to speak.   

When the debate began about whether it was best to be spiritual or religious, I’ll admit I was
decidedly on the Spiritual Bandwagon, forsaking my former Religious Roots.  I liked calling myself Nonsectarian.  Yet, I was kind of deluding myself because I realized that I was still calling on my own modified HedgeCraft ritual when I really wanted something to manifest in this physical dimension. 

Eventually, it occurred to me that that kind of “Either Religion Or Spirituality” kind of thinking was really fallacious.  It was illogical and seemed to be a kind of One-Way-Mentality upon further examination.  Why couldn’t I have both in my life?  The answer is:  I could and I have!!  Just like I’m free to follow any Paths I feel like
following.  What serves me today may or may not serve me tomorrow, so I hope I’m always flexible enough to honor that and not remain stuck
because of fear, etc.  Like Ralph Waldo Emerson said well over a century ago, “People do not grow old.  When they cease to grow, they become old.”

G L Giles is an ‘Indie Author’ success story.

She also writes a Book Review column for the Psychic Times called the G L Giles Files.

Her books can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Booksamillion.com

From Witches Digest Litha 2008 

Technorati Tags: pagan, religious, spiritual, spirituality, wicca

Mabon 2008

Last night was spectacular. Rarely has the Autumn Equinox been celebrated with such style, panache, excitement and fun. All thanks to Nick who masterminded the whole occasion.

Over 20 of us arrived at the car park in the farmer’s yard when dusk was just turning into night. Nick had gone ahead with our visitors from Australia who helped set up under the ancient tree whilst the rest of us arrived and stood waiting for the others.

From the farmyard it is possible to see the cars arriving down the bumpy lane, headlights flashing in recognition as they catch sight of us. The doors opened and out came the occupants, mostly in twos and threes, each carrying things for the night.

Car boots disgorged contents of baskets, working tools, tea lights and candles and lots of juicy fruits and nuts of the harvest.

Old friends greeted each other and newcomers were made to feel very welcome. It was lovely to see Amy again, our Australian friend who is spending a couple of years working in the UK. We enjoyed her company at Beltane and this time she brought with her a couple of friends too, all belong to the same Pagan Coven in Australia.

We began our journey across the meadows on what was an unseasonably warm evening, or was it that we had just got used to the cold weather of the passing summer? As a group we enjoyed the walk and the talk as we caught up with each others news, but it was not so much what was said that mattered. It was the anticipation of the night ahead that filled all our minds.

When we had crossed the two meadows, dotted with ancient high trees covered with mistletoe, we went through the kissing gates and congregated at the end of the beech avenue. Here we enjoyed a drink of apple juice provided by Janice as Anna went ahead to the tree to help Nick with the final preparations.

Rod gave us a short talk on the meaning of the Autumn Equinox for us and for our Pagan forebears which really got us in the mood. The atmosphere was building.

Just after 8 o’clock, we formed a procession and to the sound of the drums beating, we slowly walked to the tree. Candles and torches showing us our path ahead through the woods.

Before we entered under the branches of the tree we were challenged with the following

Gatekeeper: “What do you seek in this place?”
Attendee: “I come to mingle and attune with the old Gods and seek protection for the tree.”
Gatekeeper: “If that is so tell me the law of our Goddess”
Attendee: “Love unto all Beings”
Gatekeeper: “Only in that spirit you may enter.”

Each person was smudged by Chelsea (her first ritual with us) and one by one we entered the sacred space.

The entire space under the branches of the tree looks like a large room with the trunk in the middle. The side we usually go to has an ancient log in it and this is the altar. The thick branches come right down to the ground and with the tea lights forming a perfect circle around us, we shut out the night and everything worldly.

I was the first to go into the space and it looked quite magical. The tea lights and candles decorated the altar and incense was burning all around us. We import our own brand of incense from the States - we helped to blend it and it even has our own label on it ‘The Circle of Ankerwycke’ The fragrance as always, is perfect for the night.

One by one we walked into the space, subdued now and keen for the evening to start.

We created our circle with much noise and used our voices to create the invisible shield around us. The evening was perfect as each element of the ritual was enjoyed by us all. One by one we presented our offerings at the altar and contemplated the year leading up to the final harvest. We considered what we had personally harvested and what we still wished to achieve before Samhain.

The altar was so beautiful with all the fruit, bread and other personal gifts, all illuminated by the candles and tea lights. On the odd moments when the group was silent and contemplative, the leaves could be heard rustling around us as the first oak leaves began fluttering to the ground. We were warm and safe underneath the Yew and even the breezes that shook the leaves didn’t reach us.

Becky and I were the first to leave as each of us had an early morning start. We left them all to their feasting and drinking of wine and mead and began our walk along the beech avenue, torches aloft to light our way.

Just about 40 yards along the lane we heard muted laughter coming from behind us and stopped for a while to look. Through the thick branches of the tree came a sort of glow. It was not possible to see individual tea lights and even the voices raised in laughter were softened by the tree’s ‘walls’. We wondered what a passer by would make of it all.

We are so lucky to have our own space outside to celebrate the turning of the wheel of the year. It is outside that the turning is most obvious to us all and can be felt most acutely.

Sleep took a long time coming when I got home and it took me a while to realise I was far from grounded. Too lazy to get out of bed, I visualised a grounding exercise instead
and it seemed to work as I drifted off with thoughts of the Samhain and then the Yule ritual ahead.

As I get older, the wheel seems to turn ever faster!

by Ankerwytch

Technorati Tags: autumn equinox, goddess, mabon, pagan, yule

Water is telling us to look at ourselves. When we look through water at ourselves, the message becomes crystal clear. The quality of human life is intimately connected with the quality of our water. The body is like a sponge or a honeycomb. It is composed of chambers called cells that hold liquid.

You may know that the mature human body consists of 70% water, and that the earth is called the “Water Planet” because 70% of its surface is covered with water. You may also realize that water is the source of all life on the planet—its purity and integrity being vital to all forms of life. But did you know water gives us factual evidence that human vibrational energy affects the structure of water—the same water that comprises 70% of our body and covers 70% of our planet’s surface?

Water in the form of snow has been falling on the earth for a few million years, and each crystal has a different, unique shape and structure. If you freeze water and take a picture of the crystals that form, you get information about the water.

Seeking a way to evaluate the quality and purity of water, Masaru Emoto a creative and visionary has taken over 10,000 photographs of frozen crystals of water. He has discovered fascinating differences in the crystalline structure of water from different sources and under different conditions. Water from clear, pure mountain springs and streams have an exquisitely-formed, geometric design in its crystals. Polluted water from industrial areas and stagnant water from storage dams and pipes have distorted, ill-formed crystalline structures.

Water crystal pictures also provide startling, physical evidence that the vibration of music and words dramatically affect the crystal structure and health of water.

Waters exposed to the music of Mozart, Bach and Beethoven have a beautiful, balanced, delicate crystal structure. When Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” is played through water, the crystals split in two in the photos. Do people become joyous and encouraged when listening to joyous music and encouraging words because the water that is 70% of our body goes through a positive change?

Water samples labelled with the words (and the vibrational human thought form) of Dirty, Demon, Adolph Hitler and “I Hate You” do not even form crystalline shapes and are chaotic in structure. The scattered and fragmented un-crystalized structure of water labelled with the sentiment “You Fool” closely matches the unformed-crystal pictures of the water exposed to heavy metal music, which is full of harsh condemnations. Crystals in water labelled with Beauty, Angel, Mother Teresa and “I Love You” are intricately and gracefully formed.

Water Is Alive and Intelligent

Emotos’s research provides further fascinating examples of water’s intelligent responsiveness to other forms of life. The shape of the crystals of water infused with specific flower aroma oils closely resembles the shape of the flower from which the oil comes. The distorted structure of water right after the devastating Kobe earthquake transformed into beautiful, perfectly-formed crystals three months later after helping hands and sympathy from all over the world were given to the people of Kobe.
When a Buddhist priest prayed for an hour over the polluted water in a lake behind a dam in Japan, the crystalline structure of the water changed from malformed and distorted to one of immense beauty and power. A distinctly visible aura appears around the water crystal in the photos.

Natural water crystals have a hexagonal, six-sided, core structure basic to all water crystals. However, after a Buddhist monk chanted a very specific, ancient prayer over water, the resulting crystalline structure changed to heptagonal—seven-sided. The prayer he chanted was addressed to the “Seven Goddesses of Fortune!”

These groundbreaking water photos indicate that our human words, intentions and actions can make the water we consume more beautiful, clean, healthy and harmonious to our well-being. Also, these pictures of liquid crystals have a profound energizing effect on the people viewing them. Many people report feeling strong emotions and realizations rising up from the depth of their beings. Viewing the pictures, many people experience a gradual, yet distinct opening of their heart and perceptual awareness.

Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader with “The Dream Workshops”.

From the Witches Digest Issue 1 - Beltane 2008

Specialist communications company SentForever.com is offering an unusual alternative to the traditional greetings card by using radio waves rather than paper to convey messages of congratulations, remembrance and love.

Personalised messages and announcements can be created online and are transmitted at the speed of light via a dedicated BT transmission dish situated at the historic Goonhilly earth station in Cornwall. Each message is designed to last – quite literally – forever: an eternal memory of the sender. From transmission, the message travels over the Mediterranean coast at a height of 450 miles and within five hours leaves the solar system to continue its journey through space and remain in the universe for all time.

Other documents such as manuscripts, drawings, photographs, poetry and music - once converted to digital format - can also be sent in this way to provide a lasting and highly unusual gift or treasured keepsake for future generations.

According to market research analyst Mintel, the UK greeting card industry is the most successful of its type in the world and worth over £1.3 billion annually - in 2006 an estimated 800 publishers produced more than 2.87 billion greeting cards for the well wishing British public. Since launching in January 2008, SentForever’s ethereal alternative has been used to relay a plethora of good wishes for all occasions including birthdays, Valentine’s day and Mother’s day, and even to convey messages intended for the deceased.

The cost of the service starts at £9.95. Once transmitted, a message can be tracked to see how far it has travelled and the recipient will receive a certificate of transmission detailing its contents; a premium silver service also provides the recipient with a solid silver keepsake. An international service is available.

Chris Thomason of SentForever says: “In a world where so much is transient in nature, and paper greeting cards are thrown away after a few days, SentForever’s service is the ultimate way of showing commitment to someone special. In a billion years the sun will become a giant red star and engulf the Earth erasing all traces of our individual existence, but the messages will continue their way through the universe for the rest of time.”

From the Witches Digest Issue 1 - Beltane 2008